U.S. urged to retaliate against Japan

U.S. urged to retaliate against Japan

WASHINGTON (Reuter): Northwest Airlines has asked the U.S.
Department of Transportation to retaliate against Japan for
refusing to honor Northwest's treaty rights to begin new service
to Indonesia.

The complaint, which urges Washington to cancel immediately
Japan Air Lines' twice-a-week service to Sao Paolo, Brazil, via
Los Angeles, follows the breakdown of aviation talks between the
U.S. and Japan on Friday. No new talks were scheduled.

Northwest said Japan had failed to honor its bilateral
commitments by failing to authorize the service.

"If Japan does not allow Northwest to commence operations next
week, Northwest will be forced to cancel the service for the
remainder of the summer season. The need for action by the DOT,
therefore, is urgent and immediate," the complaint said
Wednesday.

July 1 was the deadline under provisions in the existing 1952
air agreement for Japan to agree to the Northwest request to
extend service, as well as a request by Federal Express Co. to
extend its cargo rights to new Asian cities.

In the failed talks, U.S. officials reiterated their desire to
negotiate a more expansive air pact between the two countries as
soon as Japan authorized U.S. services allowed under the 1952
pact.

By July 8, Japan was to agree to a United Airlines UAL request
for expanded service between Los Angeles and Tokyo.

Transportation Secretary Federico Pena on Friday said
Washington would now consider its options after the talks broke
down. No comment was immediately available from the
Transportation Department on the Northwest complaint.

Northwest also urged Pena to reject an application by Japan
Air Lines to operate a Hiroshima-Honolulu service once a week on
any basis, scheduled or chartered.

Northwest had scheduled service from Seattle to Osaka to
Jakarta three times a week, beginning July 1, and a DC-10-30
aircraft and flight crews had already been dedicated to the
route.

Northwest said it had been forced to cancel the service
temporarily despite having sold a substantial number of tickets
for the initial flights.

The Jakarta route is an extension of Northwest's current
Seattle-Osaka service and would have been the only service from
the mainland United States to Indonesia by a U.S. carrier.